Infection by ME7 prion is not modified in transgenic mice expressing the yeast chaperone Hsp104 in neurons

Skd3 (human ClpB) is a potent mitochondrial protein disaggregase that is inactivated by 3-methylglutaconic aciduria-linked mutations

Cells have evolved specialized protein disaggregases to reverse toxic protein aggregation and restore protein functionality. In nonmetazoan eukaryotes, the AAA+ disaggregase Hsp78 resolubilizes and reactivates proteins in mitochondria. Curiously, metazoa lack Hsp78. Hence, whether metazoan mitochondria reactivate aggregated proteins is unknown. Here, we establish that a mitochondrial AAA+ protein, Skd3 (human ClpB), couples ATP hydrolysis to protein disaggregation and reactivation. The Skd3 ankyrin-repeat domain combines with conserved AAA+ elements to enable stand-alone disaggregase activity. A mitochondrial inner-membrane protease, PARL, removes an autoinhibitory peptide from Skd3 to greatly enhance disaggregase activity. Indeed, PARL-activated Skd3 solubilizes α-synuclein fibrils connected to Parkinson's disease. Human cells lacking Skd3 exhibit reduced solubility of various mitochondrial proteins, including anti-apoptotic Hax1. Importantly, Skd3 variants linked to 3-methylglutaconic aciduria, a severe mitochondrial disorder, display diminished disaggregase activity (but not always reduced ATPase activity), which predicts disease severity. Thus, Skd3 is a potent protein disaggregase critical for human health.

Prion disease is accelerated in mice lacking stress-induced heat shock protein 70 (HSP70)

Prion diseases are a group of incurable neurodegenerative disorders that affect humans and animals via infection with proteinaceous particles called prions. Prions are composed of PrP^Sc, a misfolded version of the cellular prion protein (PrP^C). During disease progression, PrP^Sc replicates by interacting with PrP^C and inducing its conversion to PrP^Sc As PrP^Sc accumulates, cellular stress mechanisms are activated to maintain cellular proteostasis, including increased protein chaperone levels. However, the exact roles of several of these chaperones remain unclear. Here, using various methodologies to monitor prion replication (i.e. protein misfolding cyclic amplification and cellular and animal infectivity bioassays), we studied the potential role of the molecular chaperone heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) in prion replication in vitro and in vivo Our results indicated that pharmacological induction of the heat shock response in cells chronically infected with prions significantly decreased PrP^Sc accumulation. We also found that HSP70 alters prion replication in vitro More importantly, prion infection of mice lacking the genes encoding stress-induced HSP70 exhibited accelerated prion disease progression compared with WT mice. In parallel with HSP70 being known to respond to endogenous and exogenous stressors such as heat, infection, toxicants, and ischemia, our results indicate that HSP70 may also play an important role in suppressing or delaying prion disease progression, opening opportunities for therapeutic intervention.

Protein Folding Activity of the Ribosome is involved in Yeast Prion Propagation

6AP and GA are potent inhibitors of yeast and mammalian prions and also specific inhibitors of PFAR, the protein-folding activity borne by domain V of the large rRNA of the large subunit of the ribosome. We therefore explored the link between PFAR and yeast prion [PSI(+)] using both PFAR-enriched mutants and site-directed methylation. We demonstrate that PFAR is involved in propagation and de novo formation of [PSI(+)]. PFAR and the yeast heat-shock protein Hsp104 partially compensate each other for [PSI(+)] propagation. Our data also provide insight into new functions for the ribosome in basal thermotolerance and heat-shocked protein refolding. PFAR is thus an evolutionarily conserved cell component implicated in the prion life cycle, and we propose that it could be a potential therapeutic target for human protein misfolding diseases.

Engineering enhanced protein disaggregases for neurodegenerative disease

Protein misfolding and aggregation underpin several fatal neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). There are no treatments that directly antagonize the protein-misfolding events that cause these disorders. Agents that reverse protein misfolding and restore proteins to native form and function could simultaneously eliminate any deleterious loss-of-function or toxic gain-of-function caused by misfolded conformers. Moreover, a disruptive technology of this nature would eliminate self-templating conformers that spread pathology and catalyze formation of toxic, soluble oligomers. Here, we highlight our efforts to engineer Hsp104, a protein disaggregase from yeast, to more effectively disaggregate misfolded proteins connected with PD, ALS, and FTD. Remarkably subtle modifications of Hsp104 primary sequence yielded large gains in protective activity against deleterious α-synuclein, TDP-43, FUS, and TAF15 misfolding. Unusually, in many cases loss of amino acid identity at select positions in Hsp104 rather than specific mutation conferred a robust therapeutic gain-of-function. Nevertheless, the misfolding and toxicity of EWSR1, an RNA-binding protein with a prion-like domain linked to ALS and FTD, could not be buffered by potentiated Hsp104 variants, indicating that further amelioration of disaggregase activity or sharpening of substrate specificity is warranted. We suggest that neuroprotection is achievable for diverse neurodegenerative conditions via surprisingly subtle structural modifications of existing chaperones.

The metazoan protein disaggregase and amyloid depolymerase system: Hsp110, Hsp70, Hsp40, and small heat shock proteins

A baffling aspect of metazoan proteostasis is the lack of an Hsp104 ortholog that rapidly disaggregates and reactivates misfolded polypeptides trapped in stress induced disordered aggregates, preamyloid oligomers, or amyloid fibrils. By contrast, in bacteria, protozoa, chromista, fungi, and plants, Hsp104 orthologs are highly conserved and confer huge selective advantages in stress tolerance. Moreover, in fungi, the amyloid remodeling activity of Hsp104 has enabled deployment of prions for various beneficial modalities. Thus, a longstanding conundrum has remained unanswered: how do metazoan cells renature aggregated proteins or resolve amyloid fibrils without Hsp104? Here, we highlight recent advances that unveil the metazoan protein-disaggregase machinery, comprising Hsp110, Hsp70, and Hsp40, which synergize to dissolve disordered aggregates, but are unable to rapidly solubilize stable amyloid fibrils. However, Hsp110, Hsp70, and Hsp40 exploit the slow monomer exchange dynamics of amyloid, and can slowly depolymerize amyloid fibrils from their ends in a manner that is stimulated by small heat shock proteins. Upregulation of this system could have key therapeutic applications in various protein-misfolding disorders. Intriguingly, yeast Hsp104 can interface with metazoan Hsp110, Hsp70, and Hsp40 to rapidly eliminate disease associated amyloid. Thus, metazoan proteostasis is receptive to augmentation with exogenous disaggregases, which opens a number of therapeutic opportunities.

Hsp104 suppresses polyglutamine-induced degeneration post onset in a drosophila MJD/SCA3 model

There are no effective therapeutics that antagonize or reverse the protein-misfolding events underpinning polyglutamine (PolyQ) disorders, including Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type-3 (SCA3). Here, we augment the proteostasis network of Drosophila SCA3 models with Hsp104, a powerful protein disaggregase from yeast, which is bafflingly absent from metazoa. Hsp104 suppressed eye degeneration caused by a C-terminal ataxin-3 (MJD) fragment containing the pathogenic expanded PolyQ tract, but unexpectedly enhanced aggregation and toxicity of full-length pathogenic MJD. Hsp104 suppressed toxicity of MJD variants lacking a portion of the N-terminal deubiquitylase domain and full-length MJD variants unable to engage polyubiquitin, indicating that MJD-ubiquitin interactions hinder protective Hsp104 modalities. Importantly, in staging experiments, Hsp104 suppressed toxicity of a C-terminal MJD fragment when expressed after the onset of PolyQ-induced degeneration, whereas Hsp70 was ineffective. Thus, we establish the first disaggregase or chaperone treatment administered after the onset of pathogenic protein-induced degeneration that mitigates disease progression.

Operational plasticity enables hsp104 to disaggregate diverse amyloid and nonamyloid clients

It is not understood how Hsp104, a hexameric AAA+ ATPase from yeast, disaggregates diverse structures, including stress-induced aggregates, prions, and α-synuclein conformers connected to Parkinson disease. Here, we establish that Hsp104 hexamers adapt different mechanisms of intersubunit collaboration to disaggregate stress-induced aggregates versus amyloid. To resolve disordered aggregates, Hsp104 subunits collaborate noncooperatively via probabilistic substrate binding and ATP hydrolysis. To disaggregate amyloid, several subunits cooperatively engage substrate and hydrolyze ATP. Importantly, Hsp104 variants with impaired intersubunit communication dissolve disordered aggregates, but not amyloid. Unexpectedly, prokaryotic ClpB subunits collaborate differently than Hsp104 and couple probabilistic substrate binding to cooperative ATP hydrolysis, which enhances disordered aggregate dissolution but sensitizes ClpB to inhibition and diminishes amyloid disaggregation. Finally, we establish that Hsp104 hexamers deploy more subunits to disaggregate Sup35 prion strains with more stable "cross-β" cores. Thus, operational plasticity enables Hsp104 to robustly dissolve amyloid and nonamyloid clients, which impose distinct mechanical demands.

The mammalian disaggregase machinery: Hsp110 synergizes with Hsp70 and Hsp40 to catalyze protein disaggregation and reactivation in a cell-free system

Bacteria, fungi, protozoa, chromista and plants all harbor homologues of Hsp104, a AAA+ ATPase that collaborates with Hsp70 and Hsp40 to promote protein disaggregation and reactivation. Curiously, however, metazoa do not possess an Hsp104 homologue. Thus, whether animal cells renature large protein aggregates has long remained unclear. Here, it is established that mammalian cytosol prepared from different sources possesses a potent, ATP-dependent protein disaggregase and reactivation activity, which can be accelerated and stimulated by Hsp104. This activity did not require the AAA+ ATPase, p97. Rather, mammalian Hsp110 (Apg-2), Hsp70 (Hsc70 or Hsp70) and Hsp40 (Hdj1) were necessary and sufficient to slowly dissolve large disordered aggregates and recover natively folded protein. This slow disaggregase activity was conserved to yeast Hsp110 (Sse1), Hsp70 (Ssa1) and Hsp40 (Sis1 or Ydj1). Hsp110 must engage substrate, engage Hsp70, promote nucleotide exchange on Hsp70, and hydrolyze ATP to promote disaggregation of disordered aggregates. Similarly, Hsp70 must engage substrate and Hsp110, and hydrolyze ATP for protein disaggregation. Hsp40 must harbor a functional J domain to promote protein disaggregation, but the J domain alone is insufficient. Optimal disaggregase activity is achieved when the Hsp40 can stimulate the ATPase activity of Hsp110 and Hsp70. Finally, Hsp110, Hsp70 and Hsp40 fail to rapidly remodel amyloid forms of the yeast prion protein, Sup35, or the Parkinson's disease protein, alpha-synuclein. However, Hsp110, Hsp70 and Hsp40 enhanced the activity of Hsp104 against these amyloid substrates. Taken together, these findings suggest that Hsp110 fulfils a subset of Hsp104 activities in mammals. Moreover, they suggest that Hsp104 can collaborate with the mammalian disaggregase machinery to rapidly remodel amyloid conformers.

Plasminogen: A cellular protein cofactor for PrPSc propagation

The biochemical essence of prion replication is the molecular multiplication of the disease-associated misfolded isoform of prion protein (PrP), termed PrPSc, in a nucleic acid-free manner. PrP(Sc) is generated by the protein misfolding process facilitated by conformational conversion of the host-encoded cellular PrP to PrP(Sc). Evidence suggests that an auxiliary factor may play a role in PrP(Sc) propagation. We and others previously discovered that plasminogen interacts with PrP, while its functional role for PrPSc propagation remained undetermined. In our recent in vitro PrP conversion study, we showed that plasminogen substantially stimulates PrP(Sc) propagation in a concentration-dependent manner by accelerating the rate of PrP(Sc) generation, while depletion of plasminogen, destabilization of its structure, and interference with the PrP-plasminogen interaction hinder PrP(Sc) propagation. Further investigation in cell culture models confirmed an increase of PrP(Sc) formation by plasminogen. Although molecular basis of the observed activity for plasminogen remain to be addressed, our results demonstrate that plasminogen is the first cellular protein auxiliary factor proven to stimulate PrP(Sc) propagation.

Plasminogen stimulates propagation of protease-resistant prion protein in vitro

To clarify the role of plasminogen as a cofactor for prion propagation, we conducted functional assays using a cell-free prion protein (PrP) conversion assay termed protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) and prion-infected cell lines. Here, we report that plasminogen stimulates propagation of the protease-resistant scrapie PrP (PrP(Sc)). Compared to control PMCA conducted without plasminogen, addition of plasminogen in PMCA using wild-type brain material significantly increased PrP conversion, with an EC(50) = ∼56 nM. PrP conversion in PMCA was substantially less efficient with plasminogen-deficient brain material than with wild-type material. The activity stimulating PrP conversion was specific for plasminogen and conserved in its kringle domains. Such activity was abrogated by modification of plasminogen structure and interference of PrP-plasminogen interaction. Kinetic analysis of PrP(Sc) generation demonstrated that the presence of plasminogen in PMCA enhanced the PrP(Sc) production rate to ∼0.97 U/μl/h and reduced turnover time to ∼1 h compared to those (∼0.4 U/μl/h and ∼2.5 h) obtained without supplementation. Furthermore, as observed in PMCA, plasminogen and kringles promoted PrP(Sc) propagation in ScN2a and Elk 21(+) cells. Our results demonstrate that plasminogen functions in stimulating conversion processes and represents the first cellular protein cofactor that enhances the hypothetical mechanism of prion propagation.

Applying Hsp104 to protein-misfolding disorders

Hsp104, a hexameric AAA+ ATPase found in yeast, transduces energy from cycles of ATP binding and hydrolysis to resolve disordered protein aggregates and cross-beta amyloid conformers. These disaggregation activities are often co-ordinated by the Hsp70 chaperone system and confer considerable selective advantages. First, renaturation of aggregated conformers by Hsp104 is critical for yeast survival after various environmental stresses. Second, amyloid remodeling by Hsp104 enables yeast to exploit multifarious prions as a reservoir of beneficial and heritable phenotypic variation. Curiously, although highly conserved in plants, fungi and bacteria, Hsp104 orthologues are absent from metazoa. Indeed, metazoan proteostasis seems devoid of a system that couples protein disaggregation to renaturation. Here, we review recent endeavors to enhance metazoan proteostasis by applying Hsp104 to the specific protein-misfolding events that underpin two deadly neurodegenerative amyloidoses. Hsp104 potently inhibits Abeta42 amyloidogenesis, which is connected with Alzheimer's disease, but appears unable to disaggregate preformed Abeta42 fibers. By contrast, Hsp104 inhibits and reverses the formation of alpha-synuclein oligomers and fibers, which are connected to Parkinson's disease. Importantly, Hsp104 antagonizes the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons induced by alpha-synuclein misfolding in the rat substantia nigra. These studies raise hopes for developing Hsp104 as a therapeutic agent.

Structure and function of the molecular chaperone Hsp104 from yeast

The molecular chaperone Hsp104 plays a central role in the clearance of aggregates after heat shock and the propagation of yeast prions. Hsp104's disaggregation activity and prion propagation have been linked to its ability to resolubilize or remodel protein aggregates. However, Hsp104 has also the capacity to catalyze protein aggregation of some substrates at specific conditions. Hence, it is a molecular chaperone with two opposing activities with respect to protein aggregation. In yeast models of Huntington's disease, Hsp104 is required for the aggregation and toxicity of polyglutamine (polyQ), but the expression of Hsp104 in cellular and animal models of Huntington's and Parkinson's disease protects against polyQ and alpha-synuclein toxicity. Therefore, elucidating the molecular determinants and mechanisms underlying the ability of Hsp104 to switch between these two activities is of critical importance for understanding its function and could provide insight into novel strategies aimed at preventing or reversing the formation of toxic protein aggregation in systemic and neurodegenerative protein misfolding diseases. Here, we present an overview of the current molecular models and hypotheses that have been proposed to explain the role of Hsp104 in modulating protein aggregation and prion propagation. The experimental approaches and the evidences presented so far in relation to these models are examined. Our primary objective is to offer a critical review that will inspire the use of novel techniques and the design of new experiments to proceed towards a qualitative and quantitative understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the multifunctional properties of Hsp104 in vivo.

Proteasome inhibitors promote the sequestration of PrPSc into aggresomes within the cytosol of prion-infected CAD neuronal cells

Dysfunction of the endoplasmic reticulum associated protein degradation/proteasome system is believed to contribute to the initiation or aggravation of neurodegenerative disorders associated with protein misfolding, and there is some evidence to suggest that proteasome dysfunctions might be implicated in prion disease. This study investigated the effect of proteasome inhibitors on the biogenesis of both the cellular (PrP(C)) and abnormal (PrP(Sc)) forms of prion protein in CAD neuronal cells, a newly introduced prion cell system. In uninfected cells, proteasome impairment altered the intracellular distribution of PrP(C), leading to a strong accumulation in the Golgi apparatus. Moreover, a detergent-insoluble and weakly protease-resistant PrP species of 26 kDa, termed PrP(26K), accumulated in the cells, whether they were prion-infected or not. However, no evidence was found that, in infected cells, this PrP(26K) species converts into the highly proteinase K-resistant PrP(Sc). In the infected cultures, proteasome inhibition caused an increased intracellular aggregation of PrP(Sc) that was deposited into large aggresomes. These findings strengthen the view that, in neuronal cells expressing wild-type PrP(C) from the natural promoter, proteasomal impairment may affect both the process of PrP(C) biosynthesis and the subcellular sites of PrP(Sc) accumulation, despite the fact that these two effects could essentially be disconnected.

Hsp104 antagonizes alpha-synuclein aggregation and reduces dopaminergic degeneration in a rat model of Parkinson disease

Parkinson disease (PD) is characterized by dopaminergic neurodegeneration and intracellular inclusions of alpha-synuclein amyloid fibers, which are stable and difficult to dissolve. Whether inclusions are neuroprotective or pathological remains controversial, because prefibrillar oligomers may be more toxic than amyloid inclusions. Thus, whether therapies should target inclusions, preamyloid oligomers, or both is a critically important issue. In yeast, the protein-remodeling factor Hsp104 cooperates with Hsp70 and Hsp40 to dissolve and reactivate aggregated proteins. Metazoans, however, have no Hsp104 ortholog. Here we introduced Hsp104 into a rat PD model. Remarkably, Hsp104 reduced formation of phosphorylated alpha-synuclein inclusions and prevented nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurodegeneration induced by PD-linked alpha-synuclein (A30P). An in vitro assay employing pure proteins revealed that Hsp104 prevented fibrillization of alpha-synuclein and PD-linked variants (A30P, A53T, E46K). Hsp104 coupled ATP hydrolysis to the disassembly of preamyloid oligomers and amyloid fibers composed of alpha-synuclein. Furthermore, the mammalian Hsp70 and Hsp40 chaperones, Hsc70 and Hdj2, enhanced alpha-synuclein fiber disassembly by Hsp104. Hsp104 likely protects dopaminergic neurons by antagonizing toxic alpha-synuclein assemblies and might have therapeutic potential for PD and other neurodegenerative amyloidoses.

Hsp104: a weapon to combat diverse neurodegenerative disorders

Many of the fatal neurodegenerative disorders that plague humankind, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, are connected with the misfolding of specific proteins into a surprisingly generic fibrous conformation termed amyloid. Prior to amyloid fiber assembly, many proteins populate a common oligomeric conformation, which may be severely cytotoxic. Therapeutic innovations are desperately sought to safely reverse this aberrant protein aggregation and return proteins to normal function. Whether mammalian cells possess any such endogenous activity remains unclear. By contrast, fungi, plants and bacteria all express Hsp104, a protein-remodeling factor, which synergizes with the Hsp70 chaperone system to resolve aggregated proteins and restore their functionality. Surprisingly, amyloids can also be adaptive. In yeast, Hsp104 directly regulates the amyloidogenesis of several prion proteins, which can confer selective advantages. Here, I review the modus operandi of Hsp104 and showcase efforts to unleash Hsp104 on the protein-misfolding events connected to disparate neurodegenerative amyloidoses.